Final answer:
Switching from coal to natural gas can reduce CO2 emissions due to natural gas's lower carbon intensity, but natural gas production still poses environmental risks and contributes to greenhouse gas emissions. The future energy strategy should prioritize renewable sources for long-term sustainability.
Step-by-step explanation:
When considering the shift from coal to natural gas for energy production, it's important to recognize that while natural gas emits less carbon dioxide (CO2) per unit of energy compared to coal, it is still a fossil fuel contributing to greenhouse gas emissions. Shifting entirely from coal to natural gas would reduce CO2 emissions, since natural gas has the lowest carbon intensity among fossil fuels.
However, there are environmental concerns associated with natural gas, such as the risk of water contamination from fracking, increased methane emissions from production and transportation, and the contribution to global warming from CO2 emissions despite their lower volume compared to coal.
The transition to natural gas may be advantageous in terms of reducing carbon emissions, but it still presents challenges to the environment. It is also a nonrenewable resource; thus, while it may provide a short to medium-term solution, a comprehensive move toward renewable energy sources is critical for long-term environmental sustainability.